Cooperation: Tanzania, support for small women-run businesses
ROME, Italy, July 25, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The second stage of the Mkubwa (the initials of the title of the programme, in Swahili: “Mpango wa Kukuza Ujasiriamali na Biashara kwa Wanawake”) project, which aims to encourage women’s entrepreneurship, is now under way.
The programme is financed by Italian Development Cooperation through 1.35 million dollars held in a World Bank Trust Fund. The first stage, which is being implemented with technical assistance from the Italian Association for Women in Development (AIDOS), began on 15 September 2010. Designed to select the businesswomen to take part in the project, it included research to understand the social problems linked to their work.
The data showed that most women are subjected to violence, both in the home and in the workplace. The discussion groups also highlighted that many women would like to receive more information on reproductive health and sexually transmitted diseases. The lack of information and help with prevention also has repercussion on the women’s position as entrepreneurs, on their income and on the productivity of small to medium-sized businesses. The project provided information and awareness-raising seminars running in addition to the basic ones of micro-credit technical support.
SOURCE
Italy – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
